Over the years the use of spoilers on automobiles has become more and more common. Although some spoilers are included simply to enhance the look of a motor vehicle, one purpose of a spoiler is to increase a motor vehicle's grip on the road. Typically, a spoiler acts in the reverse of an airplane wing. Instead of creating a lift, a spoiler creates a downward force on the body of a motor vehicle, which in turn, increases the motor vehicle's grip on the road.
Grip is an important factor when making and navigating turns in a motor vehicle at high speeds. The more grip a motor vehicle has, the higher the speed at which a motor vehicle can successfully navigate a turn.
Although the use of a spoiler can increase the grip of a tire on the road, a spoiler may also decrease performance. When a spoiler generates a downward force, the downward force generates drag which can decrease the motor vehicle's performance.
One alternative to using a spoiler is to increase the weight of the motor vehicle. However, while this alternative may increase the grip, the extra weight adds inertia which the motor vehicle must overcome to make a turn. As a result, the overall performance of the motor vehicle, and its ability to navigate a turn at high speeds, may be diminished.